Break away handle

ABSTRACT

A one piece carton is described having a central divider with a handle formed of two foldably interconnected parts. The handle is detachably connected to the partition by frangible lines of weakness and is retained in position by a pair of flaps integrally, foldably connected to the partition and overlying lateral flanges of the handle to trap the handle between the flaps and the partition.

United States Patent [191 Burgess et al.

[ 1 June 28, 1974 BREAK-AWAY HANDLE [75] Inventors: Norman E. Burgess, Westmount;

Assignee:

Filed:

Appl. No:

US. Cl. 229/52 B, 206/166 Int. Cl B65d 5/46, 865d 25/28 Field of Search 229/52 B, 52 BC, 52 A; 220/104, 105

Robert E. Flynn, Mascouche, Quebec, both of Canada Domtar Limited, West Montreal, Canada Sept. 18, 1972 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Toensmeier 220/105 10/1962 Gioia 220/105 X 3,070,258 12/1962 Engel 220/105 3,105,608 10/1963 Engel 229/52 B X 3,111,241 11/1963 Engel t 229/52 B X 3,511,434 5/1970 Dews 229/52 B Primary ExaminerWi11iam 1. Price Assistant Examiner-Stephen P. Garbe Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Cecil A. Rowley [57} ABSTRACT A one piece carton is described having a central divider with a handle formed of two foldably interconnected parts. The handle is detachably connected to the partition by frangible lines of weakness and is retained in position by a pair of flaps integrally, foldably connected to the partition and overlying lateral flanges of the handle to trap the handle between the flaps and the partition.

7 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUNZB m4 SHEEI 1 UF 2 FIG.

' 1 BREAK-AWAY HANDLE FIELD OF THE INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART There are many end load cartons on the market and many of these cartons incorporate handle features to facilitate carrying of the carton whether full or empty.

Some of the commercial cartons incorporate handles that are torn from the top of the carton and others simply provide hand holes in the side of the carton together with extra reinforcing to strengthen the carton in the area of the hand hole and permit carrying both before and after the carton has been opened.

It has also been proposed to provide end-load partition cartons incorporating slidinghandles. One such carton is shown, for example in Canadian Pat. No. 872,656, issued June 8, 1971 to Bathurst Paper Limited. Another carton is shown in Canadian Pat. No. 737,787, issued July 5, 1966 to MacMillan Bloedel and Powell River Limited, each of these cartons, however, incorporate essentially a double partition panel with a handle secured therebetween. Each of these cartons requires a considerable amount of board and thus would be relatively expensive to manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is thus the object of the present invention to provide a carton construction providing a sliding-type handle while requiring relatively little extra board.

Broadly, the present invention comprises a carton incorporating a partition panel extending between the top and bottom panels and having a handle reinforcing member formed therein by lines of severance and frangible lines of weakness, a handle is integrally, foldably connected to the top edge of the handle reinforcing member by a fold line and a pair of retaining flaps foldably connected to the partition by a pair of fold lines located one on each side of the handle reinforcing member and spaced from the top edge of the handle reinforcing member toward said bottom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Further features, objects and advantages will be evident from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the preferred blank forming the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view indicating the first step in folding to form the handle,

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the second stepin the folding sequence,

FIG. 4 shows the handle formed and secured in position relative to the partition,

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the, blank folded to the stage indicated in FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a closed carton constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 7 is a sectional view through the carton of FIG.

FIG. 8 is an isolated view of the partition with the handle formed thereon,

FIG. 9 is a view of the partition in isolation looking in the direction of the arrow 9 in FIG. 8,

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 but showing the handle and handle reinforcing member in extended op erative position, and

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a modified blank for forming a top-load carton incorporating the handle structure of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The blank 10 is, for the most part, a conventional end-load carton blank for forming a partition carton of a figure eight configuration. The blank comprises in seriatim, from right to left on the blank, a first partial bottom panel 12, a first side wall panel 14, a top wall panel 16, a second side wall panel 18, a second partial bottom wall panel 20, and a partition panel 22 foldably interconnected by a set of fold lines 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32 respectively. End closure flaps 34, 36, 38, 40 and 42 are connected to opposite ends of the panels 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 respectively by parallel fold lines 44 and 46.

The top panel 16 is provided with an access opening 48 to permit the top part of the handle to slide therethrough. On each side of the access opening 48 are a pair of flaps 50' and 52 foldably connected to the top panel and bendable inwardly to permit gripping of the top of the handle for withdrawing same to operative position. The top panel 16 is also provided with frangible lines of weakness as indicated at 54, for example to permit opening of the carton and access to its contents. Any suitable opening features may be incorporated into the box as long as movement of the handle to its operativefposition is permitted and the box is compatible with filling and decasing equipment.

The box as described hereinabove is essentially a conventional box structure as used in partitioned endload boxes of the figure eight desigmThe main features of the invention will now be described.

The partition panel 22 hasa handle reinforcing member 56 formed therein and connected thereto by a pair of opposed lines of weakness 58, there being one such line of weakness extending along at least a portion of each side of the reinforcing member 56. These frangible lines of weakness 58 preferably extend at a'large angle to the set of fold lines 24, 26, 28, 30 and 32, rather than parallel to these fold lines, to facilitate separation of the reinforcing member from the partition 22, i.e., so that the interconnections will fail in shear as opposed to tension.

A handle member 60 is foldably connected to the end of the reinforcing member 56 remote from the fold line 32 by means of fold lines 62 substantially parallel to the fold line 32. This handle member 60 is provided with lateral flanges 64 to limit the movement of the reinforced handle relative to the partition in a manner to be described hereinbelow.

The reinforcing member 56 and handle member 60 are each provided with hand holes 66 which align in the folded carton to provide a gripping handle.

Retaining flaps 68 and 70 are foldably connected to the partition panel 22 and a pair of fold lines 72. These retaining flaps 68 and 70 are located one on each side of the handle reinforcing member 56 and handle 60 and are adapted to be folded over the lateral flanges 64 to retain the handle in position between the partition 22 and the retaining flaps 68 and 70 as will be described hereinbelow.

Glue flaps 74 and 76 are foldably connected to the partition panel 22 along a fold line 78. These glue flaps 74 and 76 are positioned laterally of the retaining flaps 68 and 70. Glue tab 80 is foldably connected to each of the flaps 74 and 76 by fold lines 82 and 84 respectively. These glue tabs may, if desired, be omitted.

It will be noted that the fold lines 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 62, 72 and 78 are all substantially parallel. It is to be further noted that the fold line 72 foldably connecting the retaining flaps 68 and 70 to the partition panel 22 is located between the fold line 62 connecting the handle 60 to the handle reinforcing member 56 and the fold line 32 connecting the partition 22 to the bottom panel 20; This positioning of the fold line 72 relative to the fold lines 62 and 32 is important to the operation of the invention.

The distance between the fold line 62 and the adjacent edges of the flanges 64, and the distance between the fold lines 72 and the free edges of the flaps 68 and 70 remote from the fold line 72, together with the distance between the fold lines 62 and 72, must be coordinated so that on folding the blank at least a portion of each of the flaps 68 and 70 overlies at least a portion of the lateral flanges 64 on the handle 60 to ensure that the handle 60 is trapped in position between the partition 22 and the flaps 68 and 70 while providing no obstruction to prevent the sliding ofthe flanges 64 between the flaps 68 and 70 and the partition 22 except the limiting stop formed by the fold line 72 as will be described hereinbelow.

The carton is formed from the blank in the following manner. First, the handle 60 is folded on the fold lines 62 as shown in FIG. 2. Next, the flaps 68 and 70 are folded relative to the partition 22 on fold lines 72 as shown in FIG. 3. The folding of the flaps 68 and 70 may be iniatiated before the completion of the folding of the handle member 60. The handle member 60 is folded into face-to-face relationship with the handle reinforcing member 56 and preferably is secured to the handle reinforcing member by suitable patches of adhesive applied either to the handle 62 or to the handle reinforcing member 56 in their areas of contact. The flaps 68 and 70 are folded into overlying relationship with respect to the flanges 64 and the lateral ends 86 and 88 which extend beyond the ends of the flanges 64 are secured by suitable adhesive means to the partition 22 (see FIGS. 4 and 8).

Folding the handle 60 and the flaps 68 and 70 as described above places the handle 60 in face-to-face contact with the partition panel 22 and traps the handle 60 in position relative to the partition 22 by the overlap of the flaps 68 and 70 with the lateral flanges 64.

After the handle member 60 has been trapped in position between the flaps 68 and 70 and the partition panel 22, the remainder of the box may be manufactured using the conventional folding techniques as used in the manufacture of any conventional figure eight type end-load container, namely by folding along fold line 30 to position the flaps 74 and 76 and the glue tabs 80 in contact with the top panel 16 and the top end flaps 38 respectively thereby to secure the partition in position relative to the top panel, followed by folding along fold line 26 so that the end of the panel l2 remote from fold line 24 overlaps the bottom panel 20 and is adhesively secured thereto. The fold lines 82 and 84 are positioned relative to the fold lines 44 and 46 respectively so that the flaps 38 with the tabs adhesively secured thereto can be folded into a position substantially perpendicular to the top panel 16.

To operate the present invention, the flaps 50 and 52 are folded inwardly by inserting the fingers and the thumb to grip the top edge of the handle 60 and handle reinforcing member 56 and then these members are pulled out through the top of the carton. This pulling action severes the frangible lines of connection 58 to free the handle 60 and handle reinforcing member 56 which are secured together to form a handle for sliding movement relative to the partition (see FIGS. 9 and 10). After the frangible lines of connection 58 have been broken, the combined handle member 60 and handle reinforcing member 56 are free to slide until the top edges of the flanges 64 engage the fold line 72 which prevents any further movement of the handle. In this position the hand hole 66 is above the top panel 16 (shown in dotted lines in FIG. 10) so that one may insert the hand through the hand hole 66 and carry the carton.

Referring now to FIG. 11, a top load carton incorporating a similar handle structure to that shown hereinabove with respect to FIGS. 1 to 10 inclusive is shown. In the FIG. 11 embodiment similar elements to those in the FIGS. 1 to 10 embodiment have been designated by the same reference numeral followed by a. The main difference between the FIG. 11 and FIG. 1 embodiments is that the flaps 34', 36, 38, 40 and 42 form the top and bottom of the carton and the handle reinforcing member 56 and handle member 60, together with the fold line 72 are positioned on the partition panel 22' turned through relative to the arrangement shown in FIG. 1. Also, the partition panel 22 is provided with a glue flap which replaces the glue flaps 74 and 76 and the tabs 80 of the FIG. 1 embodiment.

The carton of FIG. 11 embodiment is set-up in substantially the same manner as the blank of FIG. I except that some of the folds are made perpendicular to the others. First the handle 60' is folded over on the fold line 62 to a position overlying the handle reinforcing member 56 and the partition panel 22 followed by folding over of the flaps 68 and 70' on the fold line 72' in the same manner as the flaps 68 and 70 were folded relative to the handle 60 in the previous embodiment. When the flaps 68' and 70 are secured in position on the partition panel 22, the remainder of the box is formed in the conventional manner by folding along fold line 30 so that the glue flap 100 overlies the panel 16 and is secured thereto followed by folding along the fold line 26 so that the panel 12 overlies the panel 20' and is secured thereto. In this manner a knocked-down box having a longitudinal partition but being provided with top closure flaps instead of end closure flaps is provided.

It will be noted that in the FIG. 11 embodiment, the flaps 36 and 40', forming the top of the carton, are provided with cut-out areas 48 and flaps 50' and 52 respectively to facilitate engagement of the handle 60 so that it may be torn from the partition panel 22 to its extended position in the same manner as the handle 60 is operated in the FIGS. 1 to 10 embodiment. In the final structure, a partition panel with its attached handle reinforcing member and retaining flaps will be essentially the same whether a top-load carton or an endload carton is produced.

Modifications may be made while not departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A carton blank comprising in seriatim, a first partial wall forming panel, a side panel, a wall panel, a second side panel, a second partial wall forming panel, and a partition panel foldably interconnected by a set of substantially parallel fold lines, a handle reinforcing member integral with and secured to said partition panel by frangible lines of weakness, a handle member foldably connected to said handle reinforcing member by a fold line connection substantially parallel to said set of said fold lines, said handle member having a pair of laterally projecting flanges, a pair of retaining flaps foldably connected to said partition panel and positioned one on each side of said handle reinforcing member, the foldable connections between said pair of flaps and said partition panel being substantially parallel to said set of fold lines and being positioned relatively between said foldable connection between said handle reinforcing member and said handle member and the end of said partial panel remote from said handle member.

2. A carton blank as defined in claim 1 wherein said frangible lines of weakness extend substantially perpentance that is correlated with the length of said handle between said fold line connection and said foldable connection so that the distance between the free ends of said flaps and the adjacent edge of said lateral flanges is less than the spacing between said fold line connection and said foldable connection.

5. A carton comprising a bottom wall, top wall, side walls, end walls and a partition panel extending between said top and bottom walls, said partition panel having a handle reinforcing member defined therein by lines of severance and frangible lines of weakness, said lines of weakness extending substantially perpendicular to said bottom wall, a handlemember integrally foldably connected to the top edge of said handle reinforcing member and secured? in face-to-face relationship with said handle reinforcing member, said handle member having a pair of laterally projecting flanges, a pair of retaining flaps foldably integrally connected to said partition by a pair of fold lines located one on each side of said handle reinforcing member and spaced from the top edge of said handle reinforcing member towards said bottom wall, each of said flaps overlying one of said flanges and being secured to said partition panel to trap said flanges between said partition panel and said flaps while permitting relative sliding movement between said handle member and said partition panel when said frangible lines of weakness are broken.

6. A carton as defined in claim 5 wherein said partition panel is integrally foldably connected to a panel forming part of one of said end walls and is secured by a flap means to the other of said end walls wherein said top wall is formed by closure flaps connected to said side and end walls.

7. A carton as defined in claim 5 wherein said partition panel is integrally, foldably connected to a panel forming a portion of said bottom wall, flap means on the end of said partition panel remote from said integral foldable connection, said flap means being secured to said top wall.

l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIQN Patent No. 5,820,710 Dated June 9 lmyenfofls) Norman E. Burgess et a1.

It is certified that errorappears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 5;, line. 26, "partial" should read partition Column 6, lines 11 and 12, cancel the quotation marks before -"said" and. after 'walL'.

Signed and sealed this 17th day of December 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

IicCOY GIBSON JR. c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A carton blank comprising in seriatim, a first partial wall forming panel, a side panel, a wall panel, a second side panel, a second partial wall forming panel, and a partition panel foldably interconnected by a set of substantially parallel fold lines, a handle reinforcing member integral with and secured to said partition panel by frangible lines of weakness, a handle member foldably connected to said handle reinforcing member by a fold line connection substantially parallel to said set of said fold lines, said handle member having a pair of laterally projecting flanges, a pair of retaining flaps foldably connected to said partition panel and positioned one on each side of said handle reinforcing member, the foldable connections between said pair of flaps and said partition panel being substantially parallel to said set of fold lines and being positioned relatively between said foldable connection between said handle reinforcing member and said handle member and the end of said partial panel remote from said handle member.
 2. A carton blank as defined in claim 1 wherein said frangible lines of weakness extend substantially perpendicular to said set of parallel fold lines.
 3. A carton blank as defined in claim 1 wherein said flaps extend laterally of said reinforcinG handle member and said handle member by a distance greater than the lateral extent of said flanges.
 4. A carton blank as defined in claim 1 wherein said flaps extend from their foldable connections to their free end remote from said foldable connections a distance that is correlated with the length of said handle member from said fold line connection to its free end remote from said fold line connections and the spacing between said fold line connection and said foldable connection so that the distance between the free ends of said flaps and the adjacent edge of said lateral flanges is less than the spacing between said fold line connection and said foldable connection.
 5. A carton comprising a bottom wall, top wall, side walls, end walls and a partition panel extending between said top and bottom walls, said partition panel having a handle reinforcing member defined therein by lines of severance and frangible lines of weakness, ''''said lines of weakness extending substantially perpendicular to said bottom wall,'''' a handle member integrally foldably connected to the top edge of said handle reinforcing member and secured in face-to-face relationship with said handle reinforcing member, said handle member having a pair of laterally projecting flanges, a pair of retaining flaps foldably integrally connected to said partition by a pair of fold lines located one on each side of said handle reinforcing member and spaced from the top edge of said handle reinforcing member towards said bottom wall, each of said flaps overlying one of said flanges and being secured to said partition panel to trap said flanges between said partition panel and said flaps while permitting relative sliding movement between said handle member and said partition panel when said frangible lines of weakness are broken.
 6. A carton as defined in claim 5 wherein said partition panel is integrally foldably connected to a panel forming part of one of said end walls and is secured by a flap means to the other of said end walls wherein said top wall is formed by closure flaps connected to said side and end walls.
 7. A carton as defined in claim 5 wherein said partition panel is integrally, foldably connected to a panel forming a portion of said bottom wall, flap means on the end of said partition panel remote from said integral foldable connection, said flap means being secured to said top wall. 